The Difference Between Swagger And Arrogance In Leadership

It is often said that "Confidence" is needed to Succeed as a Leader.

However, that is not always true.

Though Confidence does have importance, in Reality it can show up in different ways.

On the positive end, Confidence can give you a Swagger.

It can give you a felt presence that others become attracted to.

In some ways, that "Swagger" rubs off on those around you, which is part of what makes them "want" to be around you.

However, there can also be a Negative side to Confidence.

Sometimes, Confidence ends up looking like Arrogance.

There are many terrible things that happen on this end of the spectrum.

Higher rates of Turnover.

Higher likelihood for Quiet Quitting and Active Disengagement.

So as a Leader, how do you attain that Positive Confidence?

At the end of the day, it comes down to one thing:

Being an Exemplar.

See, "Confidence" is only one aspect of the puzzle for Leaders.

Who we are and what we DO is the other aspect.

Do you just Talk the Talk?

Or do you actually Walk the Walk?

How FAR do you Walk the Walk?

The body of research around this would be called "Eudaimonolgy", or the Study of Flourishing.

Confidence means NOTHING to others if there is nothing behind your Confidence.

The more you Walk the Walk, the FARTHER you go with it, the more Confidence looks like Swagger.

I can give you an example from my own life.

Why do I have so much Confidence in my Writing?

I write EVERY day.

This year ALONE, I've written more than 260,000 words on different aspects of Legendary Leadership.

That is equivalent to over 3 books at 300 pages each!

However, there is a difference between my Digital Writing and a Book, because I have to get my points across quickly.

In a book, you can write for 30 pages to make a single point on something.

I have to make every point I make come across in 3 pages or less.

That means I have 10% of the time, but also 10X more value in the same amount of space.

Online, if I don't capture attention in the first sentence, I've lost.

If I fail to keep readers engaged, they simply go to another article or tab.

However, I know that my work does keep people engaged when they comment and we have further discussions on what I write.

I know it is engaging because I've received awards for my Writing.

I also know that I am continuously Improving myself which means my Writing will continue to Grow and get even Better.

On top of all of this, I Apply my Writing in my own life, and my Clients Apply it in their lives.

I have seen how my Life has been Dramatically Improved, and I've watched the massive changes that have occurred for my clients.

My Confidence is because I Walk the Walk EVERY Day, and have gone significantly Farther than others in less time.

My Confidence doesn't need to "Prove" anything.

This is unlike what is necessary for someone who hasn't Walked the Walk, their "Confidence" must "Prove" everything, but it can't.

My "Walk" is what Proves everything, and my Confidence simply makes the Walk more visible.

There is also a Psychophysiological aspect to consider within this.

When we fail to Walk the Walk, when we fail to Flourish, and when we fail to live up to who we want to be, there is a Physical reaction that occurs.

It impacts both our Psychology and also our Neurocardiology.

This second aspect, the Neurocardiology, is what is important with how Confidence appears to others.

See, our "Words" can lie, but our Hearts cannot.

Our Hearts create Electromagnetic Fields that trade information back and forth with others.

When you Walk the Walk and add Confidence, it is reflected in this Electromagnetic Field and others Unconsciously FEEL it.

When you have Confidence but have nothing to back it up, it too is reflected and will be Unconsciously felt by everyone around you.

This Unconscious feeling often is significantly more powerful in how we are perceived than what we say.

When these Electromagnetic Fields are good, Unconsciously people are attracted to us, and we are viewed as having Swagger.

On the other hand, when the Electromagnetic Fields don't match the words, we are perceived as Arrogant.

This is why you MUST be an Exemplar to Succeed at the highest levels!

Who you are and how you Walk impacts EXACTLY what your Confidence truly means.